Lab Activity Title: Climate Factors Past and Present Recommended Grade Level: 8 Discipline: Earth/Environmental Science Topic: Weather vs. Climate Time Requirements: 90 minutes Submitted by: Karen McCabe National Science Education Standards Addressed Earth and Space Science Structure of the Earth system Global patterns of atmospheric movement influence local weather. Abilities Necessary to Do Scientific Inquiry Use appropriate tools and techniques to gather, analyze and interpret data. Develop descriptions, explanations, predictions, and models using evidence. Think critically and logically to make the relationships between evidence and explanations. Internet Resources Weather Eye: http://weathereye.kgan.com/cadet/climate/climate_vs.html A Student s Guide to Climate Change: http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/kids/ Learning Objectives Students will formulate working definitions of weather and climate and use the Internet to research and identify factors that affect Earth s climate system. Materials 1. Computer with internet access for each student group 2. Climate Factors: Past and Present handout (attached) Procedure: 1. Engage students in whole class brainstorming session about the differences between weather and climate. 2. Draw a T-chart for Weather and climate on chalkboard or interactive whiteboard. 3. Allow students to discuss and record their ideas of what factors comprise weather and climate. 4. Guide students as they formulate an accepted definition for weather and climate. 5. Record the class definitions on the chart. 6. Form student groups of 3-4 and assign them to a computer with internet access.
7. Go to the Weather Eye Web site (http://weathereye.kgan.com/cadet/climate/climate_vs.html) to read an explanation about weather vs. climate. 8. Go to A Student s Guide to Climate Change" website http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/kids/ to read another description of weather and climate. 9. Students will complete the chart found on Climate Factors Past and Present handout. 10. Handouts will be collected and graded.
Name: Date: Day: Period: Climate Factors: Past and Present Directions: Use the Learn the Basics tab found on the Kids Guide to Climate Change website found at http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/kids/basics/past.html to complete the following. I. Explain three reasons why today s climate change is different than the climate change of the past. II. Complete the table below to examine natural factors that affect climate. Climate Factor Description Illustration
Changes in the Earth's orbit Changes in the sun's energy Photosynthesis Volcanic eruptions Unit Plan: Weather vs. Climate Lesson: What s the Climate? Grade: 8 Time Required: 90 minutes National Science Education Standards Addressed Earth and Space Science Structure of the Earth system Global patterns of atmospheric movement influence local weather. Abilities Necessary to Do Scientific Inquiry Use appropriate tools and techniques to gather, analyze and interpret data. Develop descriptions, explanations, predictions, and models using evidence. Think critically and logically to make the relationships between evidence and explanations. Internet Resources NOAA JetStream - Climate: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/jetstream/global/climate.htm Image: United States Annual Mean Daily Average Temperature: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/img/about/cdrom/climatls1/info/temp.gif
Image: United States Annual Mean Total Precipitation: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/img/about/cdrom/climatls1/info/prec.gif Learning Objective Students will use the Internet to gather climatic data for specific regions and rank them based on personal preference. Materials 1. Computers with internet access for each group 2. Copies of What s the Climate? handout Procedure 1. Students will work in groups to research the climate of their own area and four different US Cities. 2. Students will complete all parts of the What s the Climate? handout. 3. Student data will be used to complete the final component of the instructional unit. 4. What s the Climate? handout will be collected and graded. What s the Climate? Part I. Name: Date: Day: Period: Directions: Go to this NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency) Web site http://www.srh.noaa.gov/jetstream/global/climate.htm to complete the chart below: CATEGORY & NAME LATITUDE CLIMATE FEATURE A: Tropical 15-25 Average temperatures=64 F Annual precipitation=59
B: C: D: E: H: Use the climate map on this webpage to find the state you live in and record the climate category: MY STATE: Find three states that have different climates and record below: STATE: CLIMATE CATEGORY: STATE: CLIMATE CATEGORY: STATE: CLIMATE CATEGORY: Part 2: 1. Go to: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/img/about/cdrom/climatls1/info/temp.gif to find the Annual Mean Daily Temperature for the cities in the chart below. Record the Annual Mean Daily Temperatures on the data chart. 2. Go to: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/img/about/cdrom/climatls1/info/prec.gif to find the Annual Mean Total Precipitation for the cities. Record the Annual Mean Total Precipitation on the data chart. 3. When you have recorded the temperature and precipitation for each city, think about which city you would like to visit and rate each city according to your preference.
City Your City, State: Annual Mean Daily Temperature Annual Mean Total Precipitation Rating #1 Choice, #2 Choice #3 Choice, #4 Choice Galveston, Texas Burlington, Vermont San Francisco, California Miami, Florida Unit Plan: Weather vs. Climate Lesson: Climate Challenge Grade: 8 Time Required: 90 minutes National Science Education Standards Addressed Earth and Space Science Structure of the Earth system Global patterns of atmospheric movement influence local weather. Abilities Necessary to Do Scientific Inquiry Use appropriate tools and techniques to gather, analyze and interpret data. Develop descriptions, explanations, predictions, and models using evidence.
Think critically and logically to make the relationships between evidence and explanations. Learning Objectives Students will interpret climate data from the prior activity and make decisions based on that data. Materials 1. What s the Climate? handout from previous day 2. Graph paper or graphing software 3. Copies of Climate Challenge handout Procedure 1. Distribute both handouts. 2. Go over scenario below: You are employed as a climatologist for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency (NOAA) in your city. Your role is to work with your team to set up weather stations that record the daily weather for your region throughout the year and compile annual climate data reports. Your supervisor has just notified you that your team is being transferred from your current city to one of these cities: Galveston, Texas Burlington, Vermont San Francisco, California Miami, Florida 3. Students will use the temperature and precipitation data from the What s The Climate? table to create a line graph that illustrates the data. 4. Students will decide which city they will relocate to first, second, third, and fourth. Using their graph, students will write a report detailing their decision. Climate Challenge Name: Date: Day: Period: You will need the climate data sheets from Worksheet #1 to complete this task. Challenge: You are employed as a climatologist for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency (NOAA) in your city. Your role is to work with your team to set up weather stations that record the daily weather for your region throughout the year and
compile annual climate data reports. Your supervisor has just notified you that your team is being transferred from your current city to one of these cities: Galveston, Texas Burlington, Vermont San Francisco, California Miami, Florida Part 1: Using the temperature and precipitation data from the What s The Climate? table, create a graph that illustrates the data. You may use spreadsheet software or graph paper to complete your graph. *Attach your graph to this handout. Part 2: You must now decide which city you will relocate to first, second, third, and fourth. Your length of stay in each location is approximately two years. Using the graph above, write a detailed report for your supervisor stating your choices and provide detailed explanations to support your decision. Resources This unit plan was adapted and modified from a NOAA resource I found at the following: http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/lessons/which_location.html Weather Eye: http://weathereye.kgan.com/cadet/climate/climate_vs.html A Student s Guide to Climate Change
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/kids/ NOAA JetStream - Climate: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/jetstream/global/climate.htm United States Annual Mean Daily Average Temperature: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/img/about/cdrom/climatls1/info/temp.gif United States Annual Mean Total Precipitation: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/img/about/cdrom/climatls1/info/prec.gif